Talk:Bicarbonate buffer system

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Template:WikiProject Molecular and Cellular Biology This article is or was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Abuzzanco (article contribs).

Proposed Changes, Outline

This page is in need of improvement, so I will be making changes and adding some content, per the brief outline below. If you feel I should add something or you would like to leave any advice regarding some topics, please let me know; I will continue to modify this outline as I continue to edit so that my plan and changes are easily tracked.

Introduction

Someone recently deleted the entire introduction, but I will rewrite it to give a more eloquently written explanation that includes:

A basic, easy-to-understand definition (Including its composition and purpose) while emphasizing the importance of acid-base chemistry in biological systems
Where the bicarbonate buffering system operates (blood and duodenum)
The scope/significance of the BBS on homeostasis (the “why it matters”)
A chemical equation showing the equilibrium reactions between CO₂, HCO₃^-, and H₂CO₃

Derivation

I plan to expand on the derivation of the modified Henderson-Hasselbalch equation to derive the following, which is commonly used by physicians to readily access blood pH:

[H^{+}]={\frac {K^{'}\times 0.03P_{CO_{2}}}{[HCO_{3}^{-}]}}=24{\frac {P_{CO_{2}}}{[HCO_{3}^{-}]}}

Role in Blood

I plan to dedicate a section to explaining how the bicarbonate buffering system plays a role in balancing the pH of the blood, including the following points:

The specific enzymes and other molecules that work to maintain the bicarbonate buffering system
How the blood buffering system responds to changes in physiological conditions
Consequences of the failure of this system (acidemia, alkalemia)
A bicarbonate buffer curve with the normal pH of human blood
A neat diagram for the BBS in the blood (including carbonic anhydrase)

Role in Duodenum

I also plan to explain how the BBS aids in digestion and the protection of duodenal epithelial cells, with emphasis on the mechanism of action in response to stomach acid produced by stomach chief cells. Briefly mention how this system is disrupted by H. pylori infections and other conditions/disorders

Can't wait to start! Abuzzanco (talk) 06:05, 3 November 2015 (UTC)[reply]